Plural-lamp socket.



R. B. BENJAMIN.

PLURAL LAMP SOCKET. APPLICATION FILED JULY 27,1906.

1,007,419, Patented Oct. 31,1911.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 50., WASHINGTON, n. c

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oTTToT.

REUBEN B. BENJAMIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO BENJAMIN ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

PLURAL-LAMP SOCKET.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, REUBEN B. BENJAMIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Plural-Lamp Sockets, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in plural lamp sockets, and besides novel features of construction, consists of improvements in the insulation of contacts and conducting parts from each other, and from the cover or casing.

One object of my invention is to provide a plural lamp socket which is light, simple, strong and economical of manufacture, and of neat appearance.

Another object of my invention is to provide improved means for insulating the contacts and conducting parts from each other, and also for insulating a cover or casing in juxtaposition to said contacts and conducting parts, from possible electrical connection therewith.

Still another object is to provide a casing which shall not be subject to deterioration from corrosive action of the elements.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings; and the nature, characteristic features and scope of the invention will be fully understood therefrom.

Referring to the drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views: Figure 1 is a central sectional view in elevation of a plural lamp socket embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a view taken on the dotted line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 shows in sectiona portion of the casing or cover provided with a coating of fictile material on both sides thereof; Fig.

4: shows one of the lamp receiving shells which is provided with a contact member and with a limb adapted to be secured to a holding plate; Fig. 5 shows, in electrical contact with a terminal-piece, a portion of the conductor which electrically connects the lamp shells in common.

In the form shown in the drawings, the casing or cover 1 is formed from metal, pref- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 27, 1906.

Patented Oct. 31, 1911.

Serial No. 328,079.

erably iron or steel, and provided with sleeves 5, an annular pocket 6, and, at the upper end with inwardly projecting lugs 7.

Heretofore a fiber sheath or shield has been attached to the interior of the casing for an electric lamp cluster to insulate said casing from possible contact with the line wires and interior contacts in the cluster. It is diificult to secure such insulation in place, and besides it is apt to collect moisture and fail in its function. To overcome the disadvantages and defects which result from the use of such insulation, I provide the interior and preferably, also, the exterior of the casing with a coating of fictile material in the form of an enamel, by which means the casing is absolutely prevented from becoming a part of the electrical circuit even though the interior contacts of the cluster should become displaced in position. This fictile enamel consists of an earthen glaze and is preferably applied by coating the metal with a material which fuses at a high temperature and subjecting the same to such a degree of heat as to melt the substance of the coating. As is well lmown, a coating of fictile enamel is wholly non-destructible by atmospheric influences and possesses high insulating properties. Furthermore, the easing, when coated with this material is easily cleaned as smoke, dust and the like do not adhere firmly to the surface thereof, and smoke and gases do not corrode the same as they do a casing of brass or similar material.

A very great advantage resulting from the use of fictile enamel on the casing is that the casing is protected from deterioration by corrosion. The enamel may be of any suitable color, and if, white, serves to reflect more light.

The bowl-shaped base 8 is formed, by a stamping process, of sheet metal in one piece, and is coated with an enamel of fictile material in the same manner as the casing before described, and is provided with a central opening 9, and apertures 10 'in the bottom wall thereof. This base is secured by means of the flange 13 to the back-plate 11 by screws 12. As shown, the edge portion of the flange 13 is depressed so that the remaining portion may be in line with the lugs 7 of the casing when the casing is locked in position on the base. To look the casing in position on the base, the lugs 7 of the casing are passed through recesses 14; in the depressed edge of the flange 13 of the base, and the casing is then given a slight turn. The annular spring metal piece 15 is secured to the flange 13 of the base by rivets 13 and serves to press against the lugs 7 of the casing, and thereby hold it in position on the base. The back-plate 11 may be secured in position on the wall or ceiling by wood screws passed therethrough, being used instead of the machine screws 12. As shown, it is provided with an aperture 16, and is threaded for use in connection with a conduit pipe in the usual way. A suitable naked conducting wire 17 is sprung in position in the pocket 6 on the casing and engages the contact members 18 of the lamp receiving shells 19 which are arranged in the sleeves 5 and are preferably screw-threaded in the usual way to receive the lamp bases.

The lamp receiving shells are provided with limbs 20 at their lower part, which are secured in common to a plate 21, whereby the shells are held rigidly in position. An annular contact-piece 22, provided with spring tongues 23, is clamped in position on the bottom face of the base in such manner that the tongues, which serve as center contacts for the lamps, are positioned opposite the centers of the shell openings. A portion 24 of the wire 17 is extended inwardly to make contact with the spring contact-piece 25, which is clamped in position on the outer face of the side wall of the base. With a view to strength and to insure perfect insulation between the opposite contacts, I provide lugs 26 which are integral with the base and extend a short distance inwardly from the apertures 10 and have their upper ends bent outwardly to avoid contact with the screws hereinafter described which pass through the apertures 10. The lugs are surrounded by insulating collars 27 which are extended. inwardly a greater distance than the lugs, so that the washers 28 placed thereupon do not contact with the ends of the lugs. The contact-piece 22 is clamped in position by means of screws 29, which pass through the washers 28, the apertures 10, and the conducting-piece 22 into the terminahpiece 30, which is in engagement therewith and is provided with the binding screw 31. The spring-clip 25 is clamped in position by means of the screw 32 which passes through the washer 28, the aperture 10 and the spring-clip into the terminalblock or plate 83, which is in engagement therewith and is provided with the binding screw 34-. It is to be noted that the apertures 10 are greater in cross-sectional area than the screws 29 and 32, so that the latter do not contact with the lugs 26.

In operation, the casing may be removed to attach the service wires to the binding screws S i. and 81, and when replaced, the

portion 24 of the naked wire 17 carried thereby engages the spring contact piece 25. lVith the opposite wires connected to the binding screws 3 1 and 31, the circuit is traced as follows: from one side of the line to the binding screw 34;, to terminal block 33, to spring contact piece 25, to the extension 2% in wire 17, thence to the individual lamp receiving shells electrically connected with said wire, through the lamps inserted in said shells to the spring-tongues 23 of the conducting-piece 22, thence to the terminal-piece 30 and binding screw 31 to the opposite side of the line.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to details of construction precisely as set forth, since obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. Furthermore, I contemplate the use of metal provided with a coating of fictile ma terial in other relations for a like purpose.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A lamp cluster comprising a hollow metallic base provided with a coating of fictile material, lamp-engaging contacts, binding terminal pieces electrically connected with said contacts, and means extending through said base for securing said terminal pieces to said base.

2. In a lamp cluster, in combination, a metallic bowl-shaped base having openings therein and provided with a coating of fictile material, terminal pieces carried by said base, lugs extending from said openings, collars surrounding said lugs and extending beyond the ends thereof, and screws mounted on said collars and extending through said openings into said terminal pieces.

3. In a lamp cluster, in combination, a metallic bowl-shaped base having openings therein and provided with a coating of fictile material, terminal pieces carried by said base, lugs extending from said openings, collars surrounding said lugs and extending beyond the ends thereof, screws mounted on said collars and extending through said openings into said terminal pieces, and a separate cover or casing removably carried by said base.

4. In a lamp cluster, in combination, a metallic bowl-shaped base having openings therein, and provided with a coating of fictile material, terminal pieces carried by said base, lugs extending from said openings, collars surrounding said lugs and extending beyond the ends thereof, screws mounted on said collars and extending through said openings into said terminal pieces, a separate cover or casing, removably carried by said base, said cover or casing being of metal, and provided with a coating of fictile material and having a pocket thereon.

5. In a lamp cluster, in combination, a

metallic bowl-shaped base having openings therein and provided with a coating of fictile material, terminal pieces carried by said base, lugs extending from said openings, collars surrounding said lugs and extending beyond the ends thereof, screws mountedon said collars and extending through said openings into said terminal pieces, a separate cover or casing removably carried by said base, said cover or casing being of metal, and provided with a coating of fictile material and having a pocket thereon, and a naked conductor positioned in said pocket, and lamp contacts associated with said conductor.

6. In a lamp holding device, a hollow metallic base coated with fictile material, a lamp terminal engaging contact carried thereby, binding terminals also carried by said base and means for holding a lamp in position to engage said contact, said contact being insulated from said base wholly by said fictile material.

7 In a lamp-holding device, a hollow sheet metal base coated with insulating material, a lamp-engaging contact carried thereby, means extending through the wall of said base for securing said contact in place, and means for holding a lamp in position to engage said contact, said contact being insulated from said base by the coating of insulating material.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

REUBEN B. BENJAMIN.

Witnesses:

M. R. RooHFoRD, A. H. LIDDERS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

